School students assemble at Government Primary School, Mishikito, under the banner of the Mishikito Students’ Union on October 13. (Morung Photo)
‘Denied the right to Indigenous and ST certificates’
Morung Express News
Dimapur | October 13
The students’ body of Mishikito has expressed discontentment against alleged disenfranchisement by the Nagaland state government. The Mishikito Students’ Union (MSU) addressed a press conference, on October 13, voicing outrage over the denial of Indigenous Inhabitant and Scheduled Tribe (ST) certificates to students belonging to Mishikito.
MSU Vice President Hekatoli Awomi said that the denial has effectively stripped them of their rights as bonafide Naga citizens of the state, while jeopardising their education and future prospects. “Our parents have settled here and we have been peacefully raised here since our birth. However, suddenly our rights have been taken from us,” said Awomi.
According to her, the denial was on grounds that Mishikito was an unrecognised village. However, she said that till the middle of 2024, students from the village have been issued Indigenous Inhabitant and ST certificates by the government.
She said that they approached the Chümoukedima district administration with their grievance, earlier this month. The Deputy Commissioner was said to have told them to obtain residential proof from the neighbouring village to qualify. While acknowledging that the Chümoukedima district administration has been helpful, she stated that the DC’s suggestion is impractical.
MSU General Secretary Libo Kinny questioned the logic behind disenfranchising a community with established ties to the government. She highlighted that Mishikito already possesses government-recognised infrastructure, including a separate polling station, voting rights, a government primary school, anganwadi centre and serves as an examination centre for nearby villages. “Is it not our right to have our own identity in our own present address where we are staying?”
As result of the denial, there reportedly there have been cases of students, who could not appear for exams, and prevented from applying for the Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme for ST students.
According to the MSU, Mishikito has approximately 550 students, and potentially 700-800 if college graduates are accounted for. The union said that highlighting the issue in the media was a step in raising awareness of their plight. They also appealed to the government to intervene, arguing that socio-political issues should not come at the expense of students’ futures.
They responded in the positive if they have also approached the legislator representing the 3 Dimapur III Assembly Constituency.
